Reaching Goal Early: VA/DoD Online Service Tops 5 Million Users Published Sept. 2, 2015 By DoD News Features Defense Media Activity Washington, D.C. -- Participation in the joint Department of Veterans Affairs and Defense Department eBenefits website topped 5 million users this week, two months ahead of schedule, officials said. VA officials said they established an agency priority goal of reaching 5 million eBenefits users by the end of fiscal year 2015, and achieved this early milestone through aggressive outreach efforts and with the support of DoD and its veterans service organization partners. One-Stop Shop for Benefits Tools and Information "Veterans are encouraged to enroll in eBenefits and file their claims online through this one-stop shop for benefits-related tools and information," said Allison Hickey, VA’s undersecretary for benefits. "We have already implemented nearly 60 self-service features, and we continue to expand eBenefits capabilities to give veterans and service members greater flexibility in securing their information." The number of eBenefits users is a key measure of VA's success in improving veterans' access to VA benefits and services, officials said, and is reported on http://www.performance.gov, a federal website that shows how government agencies are doing in meeting their performance goals. To enroll in eBenefits, veterans and service members must obtain a DoD self-service logon, which provides access to several veterans and military benefits resources using a single username and password. The service is free, and the logon may be obtained online at the eBenefits website or in person at a VA regional office. Successful Collaboration "The successful collaboration of eBenefits and DS Logon is just one more example of how the DoD and VA are working together to continue bringing current and former service members secure online access to the benefits they've earned," said Mary Dixon, director of the Defense Manpower Data Center. The rapid and continued growth in the use of the eBenefits website demonstrates the importance of giving veterans greater access to information about their own benefits, officials said. In addition to filing claims online and checking the status of those claims, veterans also can send a message to their VA doctor, order prescription drug refills and obtain official military documents through eBenefits, they noted. More than 7.5 million VA letters that show proof of disability, income or veterans preference used in federal or state government hiring have been generated and downloaded, officials said. Related Links Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Affairs Benefits TagDepartment of Defense Tagelectronic medical records Tagveterans affairs